Five important heritage sites and nature reserves in Buckinghamshire have been handed over into the care of the Chiltern Society.

The society has taken a 99 year lease on Whiteleaf Hill near Princes Risborough, Captain's Wood in Chesham, part of Cholesbury Camp; Cobblers' Pits by Wendover Woods and the Hampden Monument near Prestwood.

Buckinghamshire County Council retains ownership of the sites and is charging the society a peppercorn rent.

It said the arrangement saves taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds while safeguarding the future of the sites.

Roger Newman, the society's vice chairman who has spent five years working out the finer details of the plan with the ccouncil, said: “This agreement makes good sense for both parties.

“It enables the council to focus its resources where they are most needed, and our society to demonstrate its commitment to safeguarding special Chiltern sites for the future.

“We will encourage local communities to use and explore these sites while ensuring that the rich and varied habitats of the plants and animals found there are conserved.

“We will promote and provide information about them while at the same time encouraging formal and informal educational and recreational events, involving, among others, local schoolchildren.

“We think it is really important that people living in the Chilterns get out and enjoy the wonderful countryside all around them.

“We are pleased to see how our conservation work in the Chilterns continues to be appreciated.”

Lesley Clarke, cabinet member for planning and environment at the council, said: “Our authority has been under massive pressure for some time to save large amounts of money due to unprecedented cutbacks in funding from central government.

“Our priorities are to protect our front-line services, particularly for those children and vulnerable elderly residents who rely on them, so we have had to look at other ways to make savings.”

The society, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, already has hundreds of volunteers managing and promoting Lacey Green Windmill; Marlow Common (north), Bottom Wood near Stokenchurch, Brush Hill Nature Reserve near Princes Risborough, Prestwood Local Nature Reserve and Ewelme Watercress Beds.

In all, the council considered 25 sites across the county for possible handing over in a decision taken in 2012, with estimated savings in excess of £100,000 a year in total.

About 80 per cent of the identified sites will have been handed over to community groups by the end of this year.